Attachable wind detection device

ABSTRACT

A wind detection device with a flexible enclosure, and opening, and a dispensing tube, filled with powder or liquid and designed to be attached to hunting equipment, headgear, or clothing, wherein pressing on the outside of the device causes a puff of powder or vapor to be dispensed into the air, allowing the user to determine wind direction.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Application No. Date Filed Title Current Herewith ATTACHABLE WINDDETECTION application DEVICE claims benefit of, and priority to:62/898,982 Sep. 11, 2019 ATTACHABLE WIND DETECTION DEVICE and is also acontinuation-in-part of: 16/139,822 Sep. 24, 2018 HANDS-FREE ATTACHABLEWIND DETECTION DEVICE which is a continuation-in-part of: 16/045,664Jul. 25, 2018 HANDS-FREE ATTACHABLE WIND DETECTION DEVICE which claimsbenefit of, and priority to: 62/536,952 Jul. 25, 2017 HANDS-FREEATTACHABLE WIND DETECTION DEVICE the entire specification of each ofwhich is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Art

The disclosure relates to the field of wind detection in hunting, andmore particularly to a hands-free, attachable wind detection device forbow hunting.

Discussion of the State of the Art

In the field of hunting, hunters often spend hours or days trackingtheir prey forgoing modern luxuries such as running toilets, showers,clean shaves, or fresh laundry. This generally leads to a very dirty andsmelly hunter tracking an animal such as deer, which is a veryscent-sensitive creature. Wind direction can make or break a hunt; if asmelly hunter is positioned upwind of his prey, his scent can tip offhis prey and run away thus ending a long hunting trip with no reward.

Hunters then have a need for wind speed and direction detection withoutremoving their hands from their hunting equipment (e.g., bow, rifle).Common wind detectors are a simple squeeze bottle with talcum powderthat can be kept in the hunters' pockets. This remedy requires thehunter to remove his hand from the hunting equipment, reach into thepocket, grab the bottle, pull it out of the pocket, squeeze it, and thenplace the bottle back into the pocket before he places his hand back onhis hunting equipment. Any one of these movements can spook the prey andend the hunt with no reward.

What is needed, is a means to provide a wind detection device thatattaches directly to a piece of hunting equipment, headgear, or clothingand remains attached, thus eliminating the need for a hunter to take hishands off the hunting equipment while checking for wind direction, aswell as eliminating any unnecessary movements that could scare off theprey.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the inventor has conceived and reduced to practice, in apreferred embodiment of the invention, a device for an attachable winddetector that affixes directly to hunting equipment removing need forunnecessary hand movements.

According to a preferred embodiment, a wind detection device isdisclosed, comprising: an enclosure comprising an interior cavity, aflexible wall, and a mounting structure; an opening in the enclosureconfigured to allow insertion and retention of a dispensing tube; adispensing tube inserted into and retained in the opening, thedispensing tube having a first and a second end, with the first endextending through the opening into the interior cavity, and with alongitudinal hole extending the length of the dispensing tube from thefirst end to the second end; and a mounting receiver configured to beattached to an object, and configured to receive and hold the mountingstructure on the enclosure; wherein, when a particulate substance iscontained within the interior cavity, pressure on the exterior of theenclosure causes air in the interior cavity to be compressed, forcing amixture of air and particulate matter from the interior cavity into thefirst end of the dispensing tube and out of the second end of thedispensing tube.

According to an aspect of an embodiment, the object to which themounting receiver is attached is a piece of hunting equipment.

According to an aspect of an embodiment, the piece of hunting equipmentis a bow.

According to an aspect of an embodiment, the piece of hunting equipmentis a rifle.

According to an aspect of an embodiment, the object to which themounting receiver is attached is a piece of headgear or a piece ofclothing.

According to an aspect of an embodiment, the mounting receiver isattached to the object using an adhesive.

According to an aspect of an embodiment, the object is made at leastpartly of a ferrous metal, and the mounting receiver is attached to theferrous metal portion of the object using a magnet.

According to an aspect of an embodiment, the object is a piece ofheadgear or clothing, and the mounting receiver is attached to theobject using two magnets, one magnet of a first polarity on the mountingreceiver on the outside of the object and one magnet of the oppositepolarity on the inside of the object.

According to an aspect of an embodiment, the mounting structurecomprises a hook or post, and the mounting receiver comprises a holeinto which the hook or post may be placed.

According to an aspect of an embodiment, the mounting structurecomprises a clip, and the mounting receiver comprises a slot into which,or through which, the clip may be inserted.

According to an aspect of an embodiment, the mounting structurecomprises one component of a hook and loop fabric, and the mountingreceiver comprises the other component of a hook and loop fabric.

According to an aspect of an embodiment, the mounting structurecomprises a magnet of a first polarity, and the mounting receivercomprises a magnet of the opposite polarity.

According to an aspect of an embodiment, the mounting structurecomprises either the male or female portion of a threaded screwattachment, and the mounting receiver comprises the opposite portion ofa threaded screw attachment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

The accompanying drawings illustrate several embodiments of theinvention and, together with the description, serve to explain theprinciples of the invention according to the embodiments. It will beappreciated by one skilled in the art that the particular embodimentsillustrated in the drawings are merely exemplary, and are not to beconsidered as limiting of the scope of the invention or the claimsherein in any way.

FIG. 1 is an illustration of an exemplary wind detection deviceaccording to a preferred embodiment of the invention, illustratingdevice design for attachment.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of an exemplary wind detection deviceaccording to a preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating ahunting bow with wind detection device attached.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of an exemplary method diagram according to apreferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating use of winddetection device.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of an exemplary wind detection deviceaccording to a preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating useof wind detection device attached to surface of a hunting bow.

FIGS. 5A-5C are illustrations of a preferred embodiment having acircular frontal cross-section, an ovular side cross-section, andshowing a mounting structure and mounting receiver.

FIG. 6 shows an aspect in which the device is attached through a thinobject such as a hat or piece of clothing using magnets.

FIG. 7 shows an aspect in which the device is attached by a hook, post,or pin placed into a hole.

FIG. 8 shows an aspect in which the device is attached by a clip placedinto a slot.

FIG. 9 shows an aspect in which the device is attached by a hook andloop fastener (commonly known as velcro, and often associated with thebrand name Velcro™).

FIG. 10 shows an aspect in which the device is attached by a threadedscrew mechanism.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Detailed Description of Exemplary Embodiments

FIG. 1 is an illustration of an exemplary wind detection deviceaccording to a preferred embodiment of the invention, illustratingdevice design for attachment 100.

According to the embodiment, a wind detection device 100 may comprise agenerally bisected cylindrical-type shape 101 (generally, a bisectedcylindrical-type shape to be assembled as illustrated; however, itshould be appreciated that other final shapes may be used according to adesired arrangement or use case, such as an elliptical-type shape, or anoval-type shape, or a circular-type shape, or other arrangement) withflat face 102 along the bisection for attachment to surfaces such as ahunting bow (however, it should be appreciated that device may attach toother surfaces such as longbows, recurve bows, compound bows, crossbows,guns such as rifles for rifle hunting, or string spools for kite flying,hat or visor or other devices according to a preferred arrangement oruse case). Wind detection device 100 may have opaque, semi-translucent,or translucent walls 101, 102 formed of an impermeable material such asplastic (however, it should be appreciated that other materials may beused to form device walls such as (PP) Polyhigh-density polyethylene(HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), post-consumer resin (PCR), orplastic-like substances such as silicone, or polyesters such aspolyethylene terephthalate (PET), or other materials according to apreferred arrangement or use case); formed where one end of device 100narrows down to form an opening (mouth) where a lid 103 may attach toand subsequently seal device 100; and where lid 103 narrows down furtherto another cylindrical-type shape or conical-type shape 104 withanother, smaller opening (mouth) 105 for detector contents of device toexit through when device 100 is in use. It should be noted the entireenclosure does not need to be made of the same material. In someembodiments, the enclosure will be made of a combination of materials.In some embodiments, the enclosure will be made of a combination ofrigid and flexible materials. For example, in some embodiments, theenclosure may be box-shaped with one flexible wall. In otherembodiments, the enclosure may have flexible sidewalls like an accordionor a bellows.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of an exemplary wind detection deviceaccording to a preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating ahunting bow 200 with wind detection device attached. According to theembodiment, wind detection device 202 attaches directly to hunting bow201 via an adhesive-type substance such as heavy-duty, double-sided tape(however, it should be appreciated that other adhesive substances may beused such glues, resins, strip adhesives, or other adhesives accordingto a preferred arrangement or use case). Adhesive is placed betweendesired surface location of hunting bow 201 and bisected flat surface102 of device 202. Device 202 may be placed anywhere on hunting bow 201according to a desired arrangement or use case of the embodiment; ifdevice 202 is attached to hunting bow 201 near grip where hand 203 aholds hunting bow 201, then hand 203 a may tap or press device 202 torelease detector contents such as talcum powder (generally talcum powderis used for wind detection; however, it should be appreciated that otherdetector contents may be used inside device such as construction chalk,baking powder, corn starch, milkweed seed pods, or micro-balloons, orother contents according to a preferred arrangement or use case), andthereby preventing the need for hand 203 a to be removed from huntingbow 201 to retrieve device 202 from within hunter's pockets or bag.Attaching device 202 to hunting bow 201 also prevents need to removehand 203 b from string of hunting bow 201 which also prevents the needto reset any parts of hunting bow 201 (such as resetting an arrow).

FIG. 3 is an illustration of an exemplary method diagram according to apreferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating use 300 ofhands-free attachable wind detection device. In a first step, hands-freewind detection device is attached to hunting bow surface 301 alongbisected flat side of device with a strong adhesive. In a next step,hunter taps or presses device to release detector contents 302 such astalcum powder into the air for wind detection. Detector contents leavedevice through a small opening at the top of device and float indirection of wind as well as float with the wind speed. In an optionalstep, hunter may choose to reattach device 303 to a different positionalong bow.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of an exemplary wind detection deviceaccording to a preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating use400 of wind detection device attached to surface of a hunting bow.Device 101 attaches to surface of hunting bow 201 via an adhesive placedbetween bisected flat surface of device 101 and surface of hunting bow201. Detector contents 402 a such as talcum powder are contained withindevice 101. User of device 101 such as a hunter, may apply pressure 401to device 101 walls that are not attached to surface of hunting bow 201.The pressure 401 from user pushes device 101 walls in towards thebisected wall, thereby squeezing detector contents 402 a within device101. Detector contents 402 a move from the applied pressure 401 ofdevice 101 walls and move upwards through lid 103 and continue upwardthrough mouth 105 of device 101. Once outside of device 101, detectorcontents 402 b may then be subjected to wind 403; wind 403 pushesdetector contents 402 b along wind 403 path and thereby dispersesdetector contents 404. According to how detector contents 402 b aredispersed 404, hunter will have a notion of which way their scent isfloating with the wind 403 and will be able to make more accuratedecisions regarding hunting. If there is little to no wind 403, detectorcontents 402 b may disperse 404 by falling to the ground, hanging in theair, or gently floating around or away.

FIGS. 5A-5C are illustrations of a preferred embodiment having acircular frontal cross-section, an ovular side cross-section, andshowing a mounting structure and mounting receiver. FIG. 5A shows a sideview of the embodiment 500. In some embodiments, the mounting structureis removable from the enclosure, and in other embodiments, the mountingstructure is permanently attached to the enclosure. In some embodiments,the mounting structure and enclosure are molded as a single piece. Inthis embodiment, an enclosure 501 with an interior cavity 506 has anoval shaped cross section when viewed from the side. An opening 502 atthe top of the enclosure 501 allows access into the interior cavity 506in order to fill at least a portion of the interior cavity 506 with afine particulate substance such as talcum powder or chalk powder. Whendispensed, the fine particulate substance disperses into the air, thusindicating the wind direction. In some embodiments, instead of a fineparticular substance, the cavity may be filled in whole or in part by aliquid which, when dispensed, disperses as a vapor, thus indicating thewind direction. After the interior cavity 506 is filled with aparticular substance, a dispensing tube 503, shown here inside theinterior cavity 506, is inserted through the opening 502. The dispensingtube 503 has an opening at both ends, and a longitudinal hole runningthe length of the tube that connects the openings as both ends. Thedispensing tube 503 is held in place by friction against the opening502, or by grooves, ridges, tabs, or other means, such that the openingat one end of the dispensing tube 503 is inside the interior cavity 506,and the opening at the other end of the dispensing tube 503 is open tothe environment outside of the enclosure 501. A mounting structure 504is permanently affixed to the enclosure 501. A mounting receiver 507 isconfigured to be attached to an object, such as a hunting bow. Themounting structure 504 is configured to be removably attached to amounting receiver 507. In this embodiment, the mounting receiver 507 isaffixed to an object using an adhesive 505. The mounting structure 504is a magnet mounted in one polarity and the mounting receiver 507 is amagnet mounted in the opposite polarity, such that the mountingstructure 504 and mounting receiver 507 are attracted to one-another mymagnetic attraction when placed together, holding the device in place onthe object. FIG. 5B shows a top view of the same embodiment. FIG. 5Cshows a front view of the same embodiment. In some embodiments, thedispensing tube is removable, and in other embodiments, the dispensingtube is permanently attached and non-removable. In some embodiments, thedispensing tube, opening, and enclosure are molded as a single piece.

FIGS. 6-10 are illustrations of variations of the mounting structure andmounting receiver aspect. FIG. 6 shows an aspect 600 in which the deviceis attached through a thin object such as a hat or piece of clothingusing magnets. The mounting structure 601 is a magnet of one polarity.The mounting receiver 602 is a magnet of the opposite polarity (i.e.,the magnetic polarity of the face of the mounting receiver 602 is of theopposite polarity to the face of the mounting structure 601, such thatthe two faces are attracted by magnetic attraction). A third magnet 603placed behind a thin object 604 is of the opposite polarity to themagnet of the mounting receiver 602, such that the third magnet 603 andthe mounting receiver 602 are held together by magnetic attractionthrough the thin object 604 and the device is attached to the mountingreceiver 602 by the mounting structure 601, also through magneticattraction.

An alternative embodiment may be to replace one of the magnets 601, 602with an object made at least partly of ferrous metal, with the otherobject being a magnet of the appropriate polarity to pull theat-least-partially ferrous metal object to it, rather than a pluralityof magnets.

FIG. 7 shows an aspect 700 in which the device is attached by a hook,post, or pin placed into a hole. The mounting structure comprises ahook, pin, or post 701. The mounting receiver comprises an extension 702with a hole 703 into which the hook, pin or post may be inserted. Themounting receiver is attached to an object. The device is attached tothe mounting receiver by inserting the hook, pin, or post 701 into thehole 703 in the mounting receiver 702.

FIG. 8 shows an aspect 800 in which the device is attached by a clipplaced into a slot. The mounting structure comprises a clip 801. Themounting receiver comprises an extension 802 with a slot 803 into whichthe clip may be inserted. The mounting receiver is attached to anobject. The device is attached to the mounting receiver by inserting theclip 801 into the hole 803 in the mounting receiver 802.

FIG. 9 shows an aspect 900 in which the device is attached by a hook andloop fastener (commonly known as velcro, and often associated with thebrand name Velcro™). The mounting structure comprises one component 901of a hook and loop fabric(e.g., the scratchy “hook” side of the hook andloop fabric), and the mounting receiver comprises the other component902 of a hook and loop fabric (e.g., the fuzzy “loop” side of the hookand loop fabric). The mounting receiver is attached to an object. Thedevice is attached to the mounting receiver by pressing the twocomponents 901 and 902 of the hook and loop fabric together such thatthey cling to one another.

FIG. 10 shows an aspect 1000 in which the device is attached by athreaded screw mechanism. The mounting structure comprises a threadedmale screw extension 1001. The mounting receiver comprises an extension1002 with a female threaded screw opening 1003 into which the threadedmale screw extension 1001 may be screwed. The mounting receiver isattached to an object. The device is attached to the mounting receiverby screwing the threaded male screw extension 1001 into the threadedfemale screw opening 1003 in the mounting receiver extension 1002.

It should be noted that in all of the aspects described above showingthe mounting structure comprising one component of a fastening systemand the mounting receiving comprising the corresponding component (e.g.,male component on mounting structure/female component on mountingreceiver), the reverse of each such aspect is covered by thisapplication (e.g., female component on mounting structure/male componenton mounting receiver).

The skilled person will be aware of a range of possible modifications ofthe various embodiments described above. Accordingly, the presentinvention is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A wind detection device, comprising: an enclosurecomprising an interior cavity, a flexible wall, and a mountingstructure; an opening in the enclosure configured to allow insertion andretention of a dispensing tube; a dispensing tube inserted into andretained in the opening, the dispensing tube having a first and a secondend, with the first end extending through the opening into the interiorcavity, and with a longitudinal hole extending the length of thedispensing tube from the first end to the second end; and a mountingreceiver configured to be attached to an object, and configured toreceive and hold the mounting structure on the enclosure; wherein, whena particulate substance is contained within the interior cavity,pressure on the exterior of the enclosure causes air in the interiorcavity to be compressed, forcing a mixture of air and particulate matterfrom the interior cavity into the first end of the dispensing tube andout of the second end of the dispensing tube.
 2. The apparatus of claim1, wherein the object to which the mounting receiver is attached is apiece of hunting equipment.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein thepiece of hunting equipment is a bow.
 4. The apparatus of claim 2,wherein the piece of hunting equipment is a rifle.
 5. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the object to which the mounting receiver is attachedis a piece of headgear or a piece of clothing.
 6. The apparatus of claim1, wherein the mounting receiver is attached to the object using anadhesive.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the object is made atleast partly of a ferrous metal, and the mounting receiver is attachedto the ferrous metal portion of the object using a magnet.
 8. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the object is a piece of headgear orclothing, and the mounting receiver is attached to the object using twomagnets, one magnet of a first polarity on the mounting receiver on theoutside of the object and one magnet of the opposite polarity on theinside of the object.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mountingstructure comprises a hook or post, and the mounting receiver comprisesa hole into which the hook or post may be placed.
 10. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the mounting structure comprises a clip, and themounting receiver comprises a slot into which, or through which, theclip may be inserted.
 11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mountingstructure comprises one component of a hook and loop fabric, and themounting receiver comprises the other component of a hook and loopfabric.
 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mounting structurecomprises a magnet of a first polarity, and the mounting receivercomprises a magnet of the opposite polarity.
 13. The apparatus of claim1, wherein the mounting structure comprises either the male or femaleportion of a threaded screw attachment, and the mounting receivercomprises the opposite portion of a threaded screw attachment.